The Cleveland Clinic Foundation

Clearflow, Inc.

Clear Catheter Systems, Inc.

Other

Alan Marc Gillinov

William Ettlinger Cohn

Paul C Leonard

Edward M Boyle, Jr

Nathan J Dale

Sam Kiderman

William E Cohn

Edward M Boyle

Albert N Santilli

Mark Scott Goodin

John Liddicoat

Bryan Byerman

Jr Boyle Edward M

A device for clearing obstructions from a medical tube, such as a chest tube, is disclosed in various embodiments. The device features a clearance member in the form of a loop. The loop desirably has a diameter that substantially corresponds to the inner diameter of the medical tube. Also desirably, the loop presents a substantially unobstructed pathway therethrough for the flow of material from a location in the medical tube distal to the loop to a location in the medical tube proximal to the loop regardless whether the clearance member is being translated or is at rest in the medical tube. Methods of utilizing such a device are also disclosed.

Methods and devices to clear obstructions from medical tubes

A device for clearing obstructions from a medical tube, such as a chest tube, is disclosed in various embodiments. The device features a shuttle member that is magnetically coupled to a guide wire within a guide tube, through the guide-tube wall, so that translation of the shuttle member induces a corresponding translation of the guide wire within the guide tube, without penetrating or compromising the guide-tube wall. In this manner, when the guide tube is coupled to a medical tube where obstructions have formed, the guide wire and clearance member may be inserted into and withdrawn from the medical tube, via actuation of the shuttle member, to engage and help clear such obstructions from the medical tube without compromising the sterile field. Methods of clearing a medical tube of obstructions are also disclosed.

A first surgical retractor () according to the invention includes a handle () that defines an axis () and has first and second ends. A retractor blade () is secured to the second end of the handle. The blade is of a size and shape to engage the mitral valve of a heart so as to be able to retract the mitral valve and adjacent tissues. A second retractor () according to the invention has a relatively narrow, elongate blade () that can extend deep into the heart to engage the heart in the region of the atrial appendage so as to be able to retract the atrium and expose the pulmonary veins. The retractors are especially adapted to perform an atrial fibrillation surgical procedure.

Surgical retractors and method of operation

Growing community of inventors

Orange Village, OH, United States of America

Alan Marc Gillinov